Nolan Reimold has had two good games so far for the D’backs. Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports
Here it is, the month of September which means for 20 of the 30 Major League Baseball teams, it is unfortunately, the final month of the season. The Arizona Diamondbacks begin a ten game road trip with a trip to San Diego for a four game series with the Padres. Arizona, at 57-79 just took two out of three games at Chase Field against the Colorado Rockies. The Padres took two out of three at Petco Park from the Los Angeles Dodgers and finished August 16-11, their first winning month of 2014.
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This afternoon’s opener sees Arizona’s Trevor Cahill get the ball against Arizona’s Tyson Ross. Cahill had his first bad start in over a month last time out, giving up six earned runs on six hits in 3 1/3 innings vs. the Dodgers. Ross has evolved into one of the best pitchers in the game despite his 12-12 record. His 2.64 ERA is 11th best in all of baseball and in 181 innings pitched, he has walked only 64 while striking out 176. He has lost twice to the D’backs this season. On Tuesday, Wade Miley will be opposed by Odrisamer Despaigne. Miley might be the most disappointing Snake of them all with a record of 7-10 and an ERA of 4.30. He struck out a season-high 11 vs. San Diego on May 27th but received a no-decision in a 4-3 Padres’ victory. Despaigne was beaten by the D’backs on August 22nd as he went five innings and allowed four runs (three earned).
On Wednesday, Josh Collmenter looks for a third straight strong start and will face Andrew Cashner. Collmenter has allowed only one earned run over his last 14 2/3 innings and leads the D’backs in wins with 9 . In 14 starts in 2014, Cashner only has two victories but he gets no run support as his 2.37 ERA will attest. Thursday’s finale will have the hard-luck Vidal Nuno go up against ex-D’back Ian Kennedy. Nuno pitched the game of his career on Saturday, retiring 20 consecutive batters and allowing only two hits in eight innings. However, he gave up a solo home run early and lost the game 2-0. Kennedy is 10-11 with a 3.65 ERA in his first full season with San Diego. He has split two decisions in his outings vs. his former teammates, not making it through six full innings in either of them.
Nolan Reimold has already made a huge impact for the D’backs since being claimed off waivers last week. He went 2 for 4 in his first game and then hit a two-run, pinch hit home run during the tea’s 6-2 victory on Sunday. It doesn’t appear the D’backs will see speedy San Diego shortstop Everth Cabrera who has been out since mid-August with a hamstring problem. Cory Spangenberg, the Padres’ first round pick in 2011, has joined the team thanks to the rosters expanding. Despite only 284 at-bats, Arizona rookie David Peralta is tied for seventh in the League with three other players in triples with 8.